The Stray
by WildflowerWeasley
Summary: Sirius reflects on his life and the love he has found in his friends.


**A/N:** This little one-shot is written for my favorite character's birthday. Happy birthday Sirius!

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Sirius Black sat and looked out over the grounds of the place he considered home. His legs dangled over the edge of the astronomy tower and his arms sat on the bars in front of him.

It was one minute past midnight, officially November third, nineteen seventy-seven, and his eighteenth birthday. He was an adult, had been for a year according to wizarding standards, but he didn't feel much like one.

He flicked the cigarette held loosely in his fingers and watched the ash fall.

He recalled this time last year when his parents had ordered him home for winter hols. He scoffed remembering the way his mother and father had told him that it was time to put his childish and rebellious ways behind him. He was a man and the heir to the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black. The time had come for him to step up and accept his responsibilities to his house, and apparently, that had included bowing down to a psychopath. He had laughed in their faces.

He gave zero fucks about his ancient and noble house and gave even less of a fuck about Lord Moldyshorts and his agenda.

His parents, along with a few familiar faces had trapped him, telling him that he would be taking his rightful place and serving their lord. When he made it known that he would not be doing any of that, they tortured and beat him, but he didn't break. They had held him down to allow that vile man to mark him but Voldemort hadn't wanted an unwilling follower. The week that followed had been hell on earth but he would have died before giving in to their request. In the end, he had escaped, his mother had burned him from the family tree, and he would gladly never set foot in the place again.

He took a drag from his cigarette and let the nicotine wash through him before letting out a long exhale.

He was finally free. Free from the abuse, both physical and emotional, and free from the fear of never being good enough. He had tried, when he was young. As a child, he had loved his mother and father, had wanted to please them, and had striven to be the perfect pureblood son, but none of it had mattered. He would never please them, his body bore the scars that proved their disappointment, and he wouldn't allow Orian and Walburga to try and dictate his life any longer. He could finally leave his past behind him and be who he wanted to be from here on out.

About that time he heard the sound of footsteps and hushed whispers. He shook his head and vanished his finished cigarette while he waited for them to reach him. He had known coming up here that it would only be a matter of time before his friends came looking.

He smiled knowing that despite his mother's insistence that he wasn't deserving of either, he had found friendship and love. James, Remus, and Peter had been there for him through everything and had done everything they could to rid him of the beliefs drilled into his head. There were still days that he felt unworthy of them, that they would be better off without him, but he also knew that he would do anything to keep them.

"Fancy meeting you here, dear Padfoot, enjoying the lovely night air?"

Sirius barked a laugh before turning to his friend, "I am, Moony, it's a lovely night don't you think?" He said to Remus and turned to see that James and Peter had situated themselves beside him as well.

"Ha-happy birthday, Sirius," Peter said softly.

"That's right! Our Pads is officially a man," James said feining sorrow while dramatically throwing an arm over Sirius' shoulder and pulling his friend's head to his chest. "My boy is all grown up!"

The boys all laughed as Sirius struggled out of his best friend's hold. "Let me go, you wanker!"

"Indeed, I believe we should celebrate this momentous occasion properly," Remus said as he slipped a bottle of firewhiskey from his robe.

Sirius shook his head, "Moony, you old dog! I'm not sure how anyone can believe you're the innocent one of us."

"I-I-I thought we were having a party in the common room a-a-after dinner..." Peter said.

Remus rolled his eyes, "we are Pete, but that doesn't mean we can't start the celebrations a little early."

"That's right! It's not every day that our favorite mutt turns eighteen," James said.

James transfigured four matchsticks into tumblers, and Remus poured them each a drink.

With their glasses in hand, the four marauders sat side by side leaning against the bars of the tower.

"To Padfoot, may he always be courageous," James said while holding up his glass.

"L-l-loyal," said Peter.

"And devilishly handsome," Remus said while wiggling his eyebrows.

"Trying to tell me something, Moony?" Sirius asked saucily.

Remus pushed Sirius' shoulder causing him to fall on to James.

They all burst into laughter and drank to their friend.

"I can't believe this is our last year. Graduation is in seven months," James said.

"We had better make the most of them then eh?" Sirius said.

They spent the next couple of hours reminiscing and planning pranks to end their Hogwarts careers with a bang.

When the four friends had finally made it back to their dorm, it was nearing three in the morning. They each fell into their beds, one by one calling out "happy birthday, Pads," before falling asleep.

Sirius lay in his bed, staring up at the crimson canopy of his bed. He thought over the last six years and how different things could have been, had he not met the three boys sleeping in the room with him.

His mother may have said he would be nothing, but she was wrong. He was something. He was someone, to his friends and he'd rather be cast out and thrown away, be the stray of the Black family, then be nothing to the boys he called brothers.


End file.
